Page 34 of Next to Everything We Wanted

“What are you talking about?” Forrest said as the audience laughed. “Everyone was living for my singing on Friday night. You should take days off more often.”

I laughed. “Sure, tell yourself that.” I mouthed to the crowd, “I know I’m still your favorite.”

I never failed to make the audience laugh. See, I wasbornto perform here.

“Jokes aside, it’s time for our next song,” I told the audience, grinning at the familiar faces. “This one is an old favorite, so if you know?—”

My eyes locked with a pair of amber ones not too far away, knocking the breath out of my lungs. A red-lipped smile greeted me, one so bright that it lit up the room.

My heart lodged itself into my throat, stopping my blood from circulating through the rest of my body. My chest heaved as I tried to steady my breathing, but I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t stop the panic that coursed through my system like hot lava.

This seriously can’t be happening.

“Um,” I managed to say as the crowd went dead around me. I looked at my bandmates, who all had their eyebrows raised.

This was never supposed to happen again.

“What the hell?” Forrest mouthed.

“I’m sorry,” I said out loud. I turned to the audience again, not daring to look at the booth with six familiar faces. “I have to—” I turned away, wiping the sweat from my forehead. “I’m sorry.”

With that, I took off my guitar and bolted backstage.

It happened.

CHAPTER 10

Sienna

What’s happening?

Murmurs filled the crowd moments after Ivan bolted from the stage. A sinking feeling grew in my stomach.

“What happened?” Emma asked, her eyes wide with worry. “He’s gone!”

“I don’t know.” It sounded far-fetched and a little selfish to make this about me, but he’d seemed fine until the moment he’d looked dead at me. One would think he’d witnessed a murder with how the ocean in his eyes went dark in terror.

All over a stupid name?

He had to be a convicted criminal or something, right? He’d probably changed his name and dyed his hair or something as soon as he’d served his time. Or what if he’d broken out instead?

“Is he sick again?” Hayden asked, disappointment settling on his face. “He looked fine when he sang the first song.”

Because I wasn’t here then.

“Something’s up,” Dallas said. “What kind of flu did he have?”

Raina fiddled with her bracelet before she looked at me. “Do you know anything about this?”

My defenses kicked in. “Why would I have anything to do with this?” I snapped, making myself sound as least innocent as possible.

Raina’s brows furrowed. “It was just aquestion.”

“Why would I know anything?” I lowered my voice, but I still sounded irritated.

Dallas and Hayden looked back and forth between me and Raina before exchanging confused looks.

“Are we missing something?” Hayden asked, his gaze still bouncing between us. “I’m so lost on how that had anything to do with Sienna.”